Excavating machine



Oct. 18, 1960 H. L. MEYER EI'AL 2,956,355

EXCAVATING MACHINE Filed June 11. 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 O O O O O O 0 O O O Q 00 0 00 m 0 I 0 /l m o o 1 H O o 8 MN 0 N s INVENTORS HENRY L. MgvER mm Joan w. Svmua BY t Kramer, u \IR/ Oct. 18, 1960 H. 1... MEYER ETAL EXCAVATING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 11. 1959 INVENTORS Harm L. Mayan w Joan W. Smut:

Oct. 18, 1960 H. L. MEYER EIAL 2,956,355

EXCAVATING MACHINE Filed June 11, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 i E! INVENTORS Hum L. Mtvin m BY JounW. Srniuq HTTDRN Oct. 18, 1960 H. L. MEYER ElAL EXCAVATING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 11. 1959 INVENTORS Hum: L. Mus} nu Jouu W. Snmc "I III II Patented Oct. 18, 1960 Site EXCAVATING MACHINE Henry L. Meyer, Cleveland Hei hts, and John W. Spring, Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to The Cleveland Trencher Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed June 11, 1959, Ser. No. 819,610

11 Claims. (Cl. 3797) This invention relates in general to excavating machines, and more particularly to a tilting mechanism for an excavating machine for angling or tilting the digg unit of the machine laterally with respect to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the machine.

Excavating machines having the excavating unit thereof, such as a wheel type excavating unit, disposed so as to rotate or operate in a plane generally parallel to or coplanar with the longitudinal vertical center plane of the machine, and embodying mechanism for tilting or angling the digging wheel or unit thereof laterally with respect to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the machine are known in the art, the latter feature being provided primarily to permit the digging of an excavation having vertical side walls even though the machine itself is not in level position, such as might occur during digging operations over uneven ground or on a crowned roadway. However, these prior art arrangements generally leave much to be desired in that they are usually extremely complex, resulting in a machine of undesirable weight and cost, are not completely dependable in operation and usually require considerable maintenance and repair thereon and generally are not optimumly rapid in actuation, but instead usually require considerable time and efiort on the part of the machine operator or a machine operators helper to effect the lateral tilting or lateral angular adjustment of the digging unit.

The present invention provides an excavating machine having an excavating unit mounted on a generally longitudinally extending boom structure which in turn is mounted for both rectilinear and pivotal movement in a generally vertical plane and with respect to an upstanding coacting mast structure supported by the machine chassis, the vertical plane movement of the boom and associated digging unit being accomplished by means of a cable system actuated preferably by suitable power means, and wherein an uncomplicated tilting mechanism including a fluid powered motor unit is utilized, coacting between the cable system and the boom structure for readily and quickly tilting the boom and associated digging unit about the longitudinal axis of the boom and thus resulting in tilting of the digging unit laterally of the vertical longitudinal center plane of the machine, to provide the above discussed operational feature.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide an excavating machine embodying novel mechanism for tilting the digging unit of the machine laterally with respect to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mobile excavating machine of the latter type which includes a generally longitudinally extending boom structure on which is rotatably mounted a Wheel type excavating unit and wherein the boom structure and associated excavating wheel are adapted for a plurality of movements in a generally vertical plane upon actuation of a coacting cable control system, and wherein tilting mechanism ineluding a fluid powered motor unit of preferably the double-acting reciprocal type coacts between the boom and the cable system for rapidly and efiectively tilting the boom and excavating unit about the longitudinal axis of the boom and laterally with respect to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel, uncomplicated arrangement for tilting the digging unit of an excavating machine of the above type laterally with respect to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the machine, and wherein such arrangement can be readily adapted to existing excavating machines as well as readily embodied in newly produced machines.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of an excavating machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, generally vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, with certain portions of the excavating machine having been eliminated in the interests of simplicity, and particularly illustrating the lateral tilting mechanism of the invention.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevational view illustrating the tilting mechanism shown in Fig. 2, and is taken substantially along the plane of line 33 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, vertical plan view taken substantially along the plane of line 44 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows, and illustrating one of the carriage members for coupling the inner or forward end of the boom structure to a corresponding column member of the mast structure, and showing the clearance between the carriage member and the associated column member which permits the tilting of the boom structure about its longitudinal axis upon actuation of the tilting mechanism of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line 55 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows with various com ponents of the machine having been removed.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional View illustrating a modification of the tilting mechanism of the invention, and is similar to the plane of the illustration shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevational view taken substantially along the plane of line 77 of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the sheave cage and associated bracket portion of the Fig. 6 embodiment, that is used to mount the power unit of the tilting mechanism on the boom carriage structure in the modified arrangement.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged, vertical sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line 9-9 of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows with certain parts having been removed.

Referring again to the drawings, and especially to Fig. 1 thereof, there is shown a trenching machine of the well known rotary wheel type embodying the instant invention. Such an excavating or trenching machine broadly comprises a main frame 10, supported on suitable tractor treads 12, a main power plant or internal combustion engine 14 supported on the forward end of frame 10, mast structure 16 for mounting a vertically movable boom structure 18, an excavating wheel or unit 20 rotatably mounted on boom structure 18 by means of frame and wheel arrangement 22 and 22a and drivingly connected to the motor unit 14 of the machine, as for instance by the chain and sprocket arrangement generally referred to by reference number 24, and a transversely extending discharge conveyor 26 which is adapted to receive material from the buckets of digging unit 20 and carry it to either side of the machine. Boom structure 18 at its inner end is pivotally mounted as at 28 to carriage members or sliders 29 and is adapted for movement in a generally vertical plane, as will be hereinafter disenssed in greater detail, and may be raised and; lowered on mast structure 16 as by means of cable and pulley systems 353 and 31 actuated by suitable power means, as for instance winding drum rnechanisms 32 and 34 mounted on the machine proper.

It will be understood of course that other structural arrangements and cable systems could be utilized for controlling the movement of boom structure 18 and associated digging unit 29, without departing from the scope of the invention to be hereinafter described.

The controls for operating the various components of the machine, including the aforementioned main power plant 14, the digging unit 20, the Winding drum mechanisms 32 and 34 etc. may include the levers, 36, 37, 33 and 39 as shown, with the latter being localized in a particular area on the machine for convenient access by the machine operator. i I 7 Boom structure or frame 18 in the embodiment of the machine illustrated may be of the well known elongated, generally rectangular configured design in plan view, comprising longitudinally extending side beam elements 40 and 4011 connected by suitable cross beam elements 42. Upstanding lug portions 43 are provided at the forward or inner end of the boom frame on both sides thereof, for pivotally connecting the boom frame, as aforesaid as at 28, to the respective carriage members 29 (Fig. 2).

Each of the carriage members is adapted to ride on the confronting surface 46 of the generally upright and slightly forwardly tilted columns 47 of mast structure 16. Each carriage member comprises side portions 44a (Fig. 4) interlocldngly overlapping the respective flange 47a of the associated column 47, to maintain the carriage member in assembled relation with the respective column. As can be best seen from Fig. 4 clearance is provided as at 47b between the side portions 440 of the carriage and the flange of the associated column 47, to permit a predetermined tilting of the boom structure 18 about its longitudinal axis, while still preventing disengagement of the carriage members from the column elements 47 of the mast structure.

Rotatably mounted on the upper portion of each of thecarriage members and as by means of a sheavecage member 45 is a sheave element 48, 48a, about which is looped a flexible element or cable 50 comprising part of the aforementioned control system 30 for moving the boom and associated digging unit 20 in a generally vertical plane.

' Cable 50 in the embodiment illustrated is for the moving of the inner or forward end of the boom structure 18, and is connected as for instance to winding drum mechanism 32 for actuating cable 50. Drum mechanism 32 preferably comprises a pair of drum elements,-32a and 32b, disposed on opposite sides of the machine chassis (Fig. 2) in the well known manner, and controlled and actuated through a suitable common transmission and clutch arrangement (not shown) powered by the main power plant 1.4 of the machine. Cable 50 may extend from drum 32a upwardly to loop about sheave 52 on the top of mast structure 16, then extend downwardly to loop about sheave 48 (Fig. 2) and then extend across or transverse of the boom frame 18 to loop about sheave 48a, and then extend back up to loop over sheave 52a, and thence back to winding drum 32b on the other side of the machine chassis.

The outer. or rearward end of the boom frame '18 likewise may be controlled or actuated for both rectilinear and pivotal movement in a vertical plane by a cable element 56 forming a component part of the aforementioned cable control system 31 and which may be connected to winding drum 34a of winding drum mechanism 34 and then extends about sheave 58 on the top of the mast structure then downwardly to loop about sheave element 60 on the rearward or outer end of the boom, then back to loop about sheave 62 and then back to the outer end of the boom to be anchored as at 64 thereto. A similar cable and sheave arrangement for the other side of the rearward or outer end of the boom may be utilized on the other side of the machine, such elements being identitied by the prefix prime, and being actuated by the winding drum portion 34b of winding drum mechanism 34. The winding drums 34a, 34b, may be controlled by a common transmission and clutch arrangement operatively connected to the main power plant of the machine in a manner well known in the art and as heretofore discussed in connection with drums 32a and 32b, to thereby provide for individual control raising and lowering of each or both ends of the boom frame and associated digging wheel. The latter arrangement for controlling the raising and lowering movement of the boom and associated digging wheel in a generally vertical plane is known in the art and forms no particularly novel part of the inventive concept of the instant application, it being understood that other proper arrangements and systems of cables might be utilized for so controlling the movement of the boom and associated digging wheel in a generally vertical plane without departing from the scope of the instant invention.

In accordance with the instant invention lateral tilting mechanism including a fluid powered motor unit 66 is provided, the latter motor unit being preferably of the double-acting reciprocal piston and cylinder type, for furnishing the actuating force for tilting the boom structure 18 and associated digging unit 20 rotatably about the longitudinal axis of the boom structure, to thereby tilt the digging unit laterally to either side of the longitudinal center plane of the machine. In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive of the drawings, motor unit 66 is mounted on cross member 42 of the inner end of the boom structure, as by means of bracket 67. One end of the motor unit is pivotally connected to the bracket as at 68, and the other end of the motor unit is secured as by means of releasable clamp 70, to the transversely extending portion A of cable 50, the latter, as aforesaid, controlling the vertical plane movement of the forward or inner end of the boom with respect to mast structure 16.

It will be seen therefore, that applying pressurized fluid to one or the other end of motor unit 66 results in retraction or extension of the piston rod 72 of the motor unit, and provides for the lateral tilting or angling of the boom and associated digging unit. For instance, if fluid pressure is supplied to motor unit 66 via feed line 74, the piston rod 72 would be extended outwardly from the position shown in Fig. 2 therebytensioning the stretch 50a of. cable 50 on the left hand side of the machine and slackening the stretch 50b of the cable on the right hand side of the machine, as viewed in Fig. 2, resulting in a tilting of the boom frame and associated digging unit in a clockwise direction as viewed looking in the direction of .Fig. 2. Supplying fluid pressure via feed line 76 to the other end of the cylinderof the motor ,unit would retract thepiston rod 72 thereby causing tilting or angling vmovement of the boom and associated digging unit in a counter clockwise direction, as viewed in the direction of Fig. 2. It will be seen that the motor unit 66 has only to overcome the friction in sheaves 48, 48a, when tilting the boom in a lateral direction and thus. does not necessitate a motor unit of a size to overcome the friction of all, of theassociated sheave and cable portions. of the boom actuating cable systems. It will also be noted that. the motor unit does not support the full weight of the boom in its laterally tilted or unstable condition but instead the. cable and pulley control systems 30 and'ivl carry out that function,

such motor unit 66 only supporting the eccentric forces due to gravity in the laterally tilted or angled position of the boom and digging unit. Such a reciprocal type motor unit arrangement coacting with the flexible cable system which controls the normal vertical plane movement of the boom provides for quick actuation for the lateral tilting of the boom, and in addition provides an arrangement which may be readily incorporated in existing digging machines without material revision of the same, as well as providing a lateral tilting mechanism which may be readily installed, maintained, repaired, and replaced, providing an obviously more economically desirable trenching machine incorporating the laterally tiltable digging unit feature.

Referring now to Figs. 6 to 9 of the drawings, there is shown a modification of the invention. In this embodiment, the prime mover or fluid powered motor unit '80 for laterally tilting the boom and associated digging unit is pivotally connected at one end as at 80a to a sheave cage '82 which corresponds generally to the sheave cage 45 in the first described embodiment of the invention, except that such cage 82 has 2. depending bracket portion 82a (Fig. 8) having apertures 84 therethrough, for receiving the aforementioned pivot pin 80a. The piston rod 85 of the motor unit 80 is secured to cable portion A via releasable clamp 87 similarly as in the first embodiment. The operation of the modified arrangement is the same as in the first described embodiment. However, one of the advantages to the modified arrangement is that the tilting motor unit 80 is not directly mounted on nor connected to the boom, thus providing for ready removal of the boom from the machine proper and thereby facilitating the removal, repair and/ or replacement of the digging unit 20. The modified arrangement also does not necessitate any structural modifications to the boom frame itself for installation purposes, and therefore more readily lends itself for use as a kit which may be easily applied to existing excavating machines for tilting the digging unit and mounting boom structure laterally with respect to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the machine.

From the foregoing description and accompanying drawings it will be seen that the invention provides a novel and uncomplicated arrangement for tilting the digging unit of an excavating machine laterally with respect to the longitudinal vertical center plane of the machine and one which may be readily incorporated in existing excavating machines or readily embodied in newly built excavating machines, such tilting mechanism being extremely rapid in actuation, dependable in operation, and not adding materially to either the weight nor the cost of an excavating machine.

The terms and expressions which have been used are used as terms of description and not of limitation and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of any of the features described or shown, or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

We claim:

1. In an excavating machine, a generally upstanding mast structure, an elongated boom frame including laterally spaced side elements extending outwardly from said mast structure, an excavating unit carried by said boom frame intermediate said side elements, said unit being normally disposed in a generally vertical plane position, said boom frame being adapted for movement in a generally vertical plane and with respect to said mast structure, means relatively loosely connecting said boom frame to said mast structure for guiding said boom frame in its vertical movement relative to said mast structure, a flexible element coacting between said boom frame and said mast structure for moving said boom frame in said vertical plane with respect to said mast structure, and fluid powered motor means supported by said boom frame and coacting between said flexible element and said boom frame for selectively tilting said boom frame about its longitudinal axis and thus angling said excavating unit laterally from said normal vertical plane position.

2. In a mobile excavating machine comprising a frame, a mast mounted on the rearward end of said frame, an elongated boom frame of generally rectangular configuration in plan view extending outwardly and rearwardly from said mast, an excavating unit carried by said boom frame and normally disposed in a generally vertical plane position, said boom frame being adapted for rectilinear and pivotal movement in a generally vertical plane, means generally loosely coupling said boom frame to said mast, said boom frame being guided in its vertical movement by said mast, said means comprising a carriage element slideably coacting with said mast and pivotally connected to the inner end of said boom frame, a flexible element connected to said carriage for moving said boom frame in said vertical plane and with respect to said mast, and boom frame tilting means including a fluid powered motor unit coacting between said flexible element and said boom frame for tilting said boom about its longitu dinal axis and thereby angling said digging unit laterally with respect to the longitudinal 'vertical center plane of said machine.

3. In an excavating machine, a generally upstanding mast structure mounted at one end of said machine, an elongated boom frame including laterally spaced side elements extending outwardly from said mast structure, a wheel type digging unit mounted on said boom frame intermediate said side elements for rotation in a generally vertical plane, carriage means pivotally connected to said boom frame and slideably coupled in relatively loose relation to said mast structure, said boom frame and associated digging unit being adapted for rectilinear and pivotal movements in a generally vertical plane, means including a flexible cable element coacting between said mast structure and said boom frame for moving said boom frame and associated digging unit in said vertical plane relative to said mast structure, a double-acting reciprocal fluid powered motor unit supported by said boom frame and coacting between said boom frame and said cable element for selectively tilting said boom frame a predetermined amount about its longitudinal axis and thus angling said digging unit laterally with respect to the longitudinal vertical center plane of said machine.

4. In an excavating machine in accordance with claim 3 wherein said motor unit is pivotally connected at one end to said boom frame and is secured at the other end thereof to said cable element.

5. In an excavating machine in accordance with claim 3 wherein said motor unit is pivotally mounted at one end thereof to said carriage means and at the other end thereof is secured to said cable element.

6. Boom tilting mechanism for an excavating machine of the type including mast structure and an elongated boom frame normally supporting a digging unit in a generally vertical plane position and loosely coupled to said mast structure for movement in a generally vertical plane with respect to said mast structure and wherein flexible lift cable means coacts between said mast structure and said boom frame for so moving said boom frame in said vertical plane, said tilting mechanism being adapted for angling said digging unit laterally of its normal vertical plane position and comprising a fluid powered motor unit coating between said boom frame and said cable means for moving said cable means relative to said boom frame and thereby tilting said boom frame about its longitudinal axis.

7. Boom tilting mechanism for an excavating machine of the type including a generally upright mast structure and an elongated boom frame of open top and bottom box-like configuration in plan view and relatively loosely coupled to said mast structure and extending generally horizontally outwardly therefrom, said boom frame supporting a bucket equipped excavating unit for digging movement in a generally vertical plane and being adapted for both rectilinear and pivotal movement in a generally vertical plane and with respect to said mast structure, and wherein flexible cable -means coacts between said mast structure and said boomframe for so moving said boom frame in said generally vertical'plane, said tilting mechanism comprising a double-acting fluid powered reciprocal motor unit coact ing between said boom frame and said cable means for moving said cable means relative to said boom frame and in a direction to cause tilting of said boom frame about its longitudinal axis and associated angling of said excavating until laterally of its normal vertical plane position. w

8. In a mobile excavating machine, a generally upright mast structure mounted adjacent the rearward end of the machine, said maststructure comprising a pair of transversely spaced column-like members each being inclined slightly from the bottom to the top thereof in a direction toward the forward end of the machine, an elongated boom frame extending outwardly from said mast structure in'a generally longitudinal direction with respect to said machine, a'wheel type digging unit rotatably mounted on said boom frame for digging'movement in a generally vertical plane and in a direction lengthwise of said machine, means pivotally connected to said boom frame adjacent the latters inner end and on each side thereof and interlockingly coupled to said column members for relatively loosely coupling said boom frame to said column members, said means being coupled to said column members for lengthwise movement on said column members whereby said boom frame may be moved rectilinearly and pivotally in a generally vertical plane and with respect to said mast structure, a flexible cable element movingly coupled to each of said means on either side of said boom frame and including a portion extending transversely of said boom frame, said cable element coac'ting between said boom frame and said mast structure to move said boom frame in said last mentioned vertical plane, and a reciprocal fluid powered motor unit coacting between said boom frame and said transverse portion of said cable element for moving said cable element in a predetermined direction with respectto said boom frame whereby said boom frame is tilted about its longitudinal axis a predetermined amount and resulting in lateral angling of said digging unit with respect to the longitudinal vertical center plane of said machine. 5

9. In a mobile excavating machine in accordance with claim 8 wherein said cable element is movingly connected to said means by sheave elements rotatably mounted on said means.

10. In a-mobile excavating machine in accordance with claim 8 wherein said motor unit is disposed generally parallel to the direction of extension of said transverse portion of said cable element.

11. In an excavating machine in accordance with claim 10 wherein said motor unit includes a piston rod which is detachably coupled to said transverse portion of said cable element by means of a releasable clamp.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,329,659 Smith Sept. 14, 1943 2,494,069 Steffen Jan. 10, 1950 2,845,014 Pursche July 29, 1958 2,847,134 Slate Aug. 12, 1958 

